INFORMATION AND RESEARCH NETWORK

Preliminary concept
The main activity of the project is to promote the establishment of an information and research network of institutes and organizations dealing fully or partly with traditional culture and folklore. Its aim is to facilitate effective collaboration among target beneficiaries by means of quick access to databases, electronic mail, by organization of computer-aided colloquium, symposium etc. The main principle is that the centre does not duplicate or concentrate existing database projects and does not override or compete with existing institutions. It focuses on collaboration among them. Network is built on the interaction and mutual service of local data bases on the same rank. The centre does not concentrate and redistribute the collected data. Its task is to arouse the interest in parties to organize data collection about local events and to suggest international programs to solve the most urgent problems. Local databases will operate by means of unified program language and will have similar structure. They all will take care of the collection and correction of the data originating from their own region.

Network
The organization of the network will start from Hungary, where the most developed and populous network system is IIF (Information Infrastructure Program) connecting Hungarian universities, academies, culture institutes etc. Through IIF which has two main centers in Budapest (IIF Center and Economic University of Budapest), users can contact the main lines of European and American network systems like EARN, BITNET, INTERNET, NSFNER, HEPNET etc. Access to them is possible through the computer Center in Technical University of Vienna. ECTC is the 514th joint institution of IIF in Hungary. Information infrastructure is fairly well developed, or is quickly developing in most of European countries. So ECTC and cooperating parties will hopefully operate their network in gradually improving circum-stances. The great central capacity of IIF centers and the easy access to their central computers save the centre and cooperating partners from unnecessary investments, because, on many places, storing of data bases and com-munication with partners will be possible by IIF assistance with simple PCsJXTs/ATs. ECTC will need the experiences of the existing cultural data bases and networks in the framework of UNESCO and outside. Arrangements of development of the network are listed in the Work plan.

Please download the Data Sheet (7Kb, rtf)